Whew! I’m back!
Hello Readers,
During the last few months, I’ve been teaching, traveling, performing, and writing my first book. The result? I’ve been neglecting this blog. However, it’s summer, AND the book (I’ll tell you more about it in the next installment) will be off to the press this weekend.
I had a bit of a rant a few weeks ago and wanted to share it with you. Here it goes!
_________________________________________________________________
We have lost our minds. We have lost our way.
I will always say that I am grateful for every day The Creator lets me take another breath, but some days, particularly the days I check my phone or turn on the news before my feet hit the floor, I lose my breath. Somedays it’s not worth my sanity to get out of bed. This country is becoming increasingly unrecognizable. I just wanna know…when did being so angry, hateful, cantankerous, confrontational, gossipy, nasty, vengeful, and violent become so vogue? This is not who we say we are!
Character assassinations have been with us since before Moses came down from the mountain with the tablet containing the 9th commandment – Thou Shalt Not Bear False Witness Against Thy Neighbor. But now, verbal smackdowns are commonplace, and no longer considered a naughty little pastime. They’ve become a full-blown sport. We verbally clothesline each other – openly, daringly, calmly, then we boast about it.
The hunting of human beings has always belonged to the province of war. However, today, it’s a staple upon which our contemporary obsession with violent video games and testosterone-laden action flicks is built. These days, any Harry, Dick, and Jane with a gun can feel entitled to act as God, passing final judgment on some poor soul. And the reasons for which this judgment, condemnation, and justice is exacted? Illogical differences such as religion, ideology, politics, race, ethnicity, gender identity, and sex. Or something even simpler, and more ridiculous. Our bullets literally take someone’s last breath from them, and we try to justify the reason the life was taken, blathering on and sounding completely bereft of common sense.
We kill people all the time – with actual bullets, with words, with shame.When did this become acceptable?
We don’t seem to care.
We have supposedly evolved. I fear we are devolving. We always hear religious and political leaders talk about God being on our side, but if I were God, I’d be in the market for a new team. I think the more appropriate question is are we on God’s side? If we are God’s greatest creation, then surely we are capable of doing much better than this. When will we make the ultimate decision to honor each other as fellow travelers and seekers? Now, some may say that I’m not being realistic; that I’m being too altruistic or pollyanna-ish. Some may say that the world doesn’t work that way anymore and that I should take my ‘we are the world’ self and sensitivities elsewhere. I don’t care. Some of us have to be the balance. We all need something to feel good about to counteract this jungle of negativity before the overgrowth engulfs us.
What can you do to bring a little light to your corner of the world? What can you do to add some beauty to this day? To make this life more bearable for someone else? Can you offer a smile? Call and check up on someone? Make a donation to your favorite cause? Offer a prayer? Meditate? Volunteer? Abstain from negativity? Buy someone lunch? Each of us…we have to start somewhere…
Some days I feel as though I’m living the lyrics of the song ‘Dinosaur’, sung by the late Al Jarreau. I’ve put the link here…have a listen to this beautiful masterpiece and take a few minutes to reflect.
